Umbilical Stem Cell usage on the increase according to Future Health

New research shows that as many as 1 in 200 people will receive a stem cell transplant during their lifetime, based on therapeutic use of haematopoietic (blood-forming) stem cells.

Cord blood collection is rapidly gaining significance around the world, as medicine and science develops new ways of treating diseases. Specialising in the collection and storage of umbilical cord stem cells, Future Health is trying to create awareness of stem cell collection and the conditions where stem cells are used in the treatment of various medical conditions.

"Medicine and research are advancing at a phenomenal pace and more than 75 conditions can now be treated with umbilical stem cells. In 1997 it was one 1 in 2700 cases and today it is 1 in 217. No parent can afford not to collect its child's umbilical stem cells," stated Darryn Keast, regional director, Future Health - Cord Blood Care.

Umbilical cord blood stem cell storage is where cord blood (which is rich in stem cells) from the baby's umbilical cord is safely collected at birth, using a collection kit supplied by Future Health, and, under stringent conditions, cryo preserved and stored in purpose built containers.

Future Health is licensed by the Human Tissue Authority (HTA) strictly adhering to the guideline of the Code of Practice for Human Tissue Banks and uses the latest processing and cryo-preservation equipment.

"The accreditation and our adherence to guidelines is an important issue to parents, as it assures them that the blood is admitted in the transplant centres around the world" comments Darryn Keast, regional director, Future Health - Cord Blood Care.

Over the past 17 years and in over 10,000 transplantations, stem cells have helped treat many life-threatening illnesses by 'repairing' the damaged parts of the body. In addition to the standard medical treatments where cord blood stem cells are routinely used, ongoing research is continuously focused in finding new uses for stem cells.

Future Health is a cord blood bank, with its own purpose built laboratories and on-site storage facility in the UK. It is the first and oldest private family cord blood bank to hold full accreditation awarded by the UK's Medicines Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) of the Department of Health & licensed by the Human Tissue Authority (HTA).